Process of dyeing vegetable fibers.



GEORGE JD. BURTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCESS OF DYEING VEGETABLE FIBERS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Dyeing Vegetable Fibers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the dyeing of vegetable fibers, more especially degummed vegetable fibers, or fibers such as ramie, flax, hemp, jute, etc., from which the gummy binding substances for example pectose and pectin, have been removed.

The object of my invention is to provide a process whereby such fibers may be permanently dyed as distinguished from merely coloring the exterior thereof, Without injur-' ing the fiber or causing its subsequent disintegration.

Unless the gummy substances above referred to are removed from the fiber, the dyeing solution will not penetrate and simply colors or stains the outside surface. In order to remove the gummy substances, I prefer to use the process set forth in my Letters Patent No: 870,157, dated November 5,1907.

After the fiber has been degummed, it

may be permanently dyed as distinguished from merely having its exterior surface colored or stained as follows: The solution obtained by the treatment described in my prior Letters Patent is concentrated by evaporation or otherwise, and if the evaporation is complete a crystalline powder of brownish color is produced which is soluble in water. This powder consists chiefly of pectose and pectin. The powder so obtained is mixed with a mordant, for example, potassium bichromate, hydrochloric acid, etc., and used to dye the degummed fibers, and then the fibers preferably are treated with a color-setting agent such as Glaubers salts,-

sodium chlorid, etc.

Specification of Letters Tatent.

Patented Jan. 3(1 1931?.

Application filed April 22, 1914. Serial No. 833,611.

taining sulfur will eventually disintegrate,

because, as I believe, the sulfur causes some chemical action to take place in the fibers, possibly by disintegrating such pectin as remains therein, eventuallyrendering them Worthless.

Considerable difficulty has heretofore been experienced in dyeing degummed' fibers, but by the use of the process herein described, I have been enabled to overcome these difficulties and to obtain a clean, glossy, permanent color in degummed vegetable fibers.

It will be understood that in the claims I use the term degummed fiber as including a fiber from which a portion or all of the gummy binding substance has been removed.

I claim:

1. The process of dyeing degummed fibers which consists in treating the same with a solution of the natural coloring substance originally contained in the fiber, and a mordant.

2. The process of dyeing degummed fibers which consists in treating the same with a solution of the natural coloring substance originally contained in the fiber, and a mordant, and then with a color-setting agent.

3. The process of dyeing degummed fibers which consists in treating the same with a solution of the natural coloring substance originally contained in the fiber.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of April, 1914.

GEO. D. BURTON.

Witnesses:

Gno. K. Woonwon'rn, E. B. TOMLINSON. 

